Terminal emulation over html

Abstract

A method for converting data between two data transfer protocols is described. The method includes receiving first HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP) enabled data from a first computer system. The method also includes converting the first HTTP-enabled data obtained from the first computer system to first remote terminal session data. The method also includes sending the first remote terminal session data to a second computer system via a remote terminal session.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for converting data between two data transfer protocol types, comprising:
 receiving, at an emulator, first HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP)-enabled data uploaded from a web browser of a first computer system, the first HTTP-enable data being representative of first front end data collected by a data capturing device of the first computer system; 
 opening, by the emulator, a dedicated remote terminal session with a remote terminal session server of a second computer system following receipt of the first HTTP-enabled data; 
 converting, by the emulator, the first HTTP-enabled data to first remote terminal session data, the first remote terminal session data being formatted according to a Telnet protocol that is usable by a software application of the second computer system that is not Internet-dependent and not capable of using the first HTTP-enable data; 
 sending, by the emulator, the first remote terminal session data to the second computer system via the dedicated remote terminal session; 
 further receiving, at the emulator, second HTTP-enabled data uploaded from the web browser, the second HTTP-enable data being representative of second front end data collected by the data capturing device; 
 reopening, by the emulator, the dedicated remote terminal session following receipt of the second HTTP-enabled data; 
 converting, by the emulator, the second HTTP-enabled data to second remote terminal session data, the second remote terminal session data being formatted according to the Telnet protocol; and 
 sending, by the emulator, the second remote terminal session data to the second computer system via the reopened remote terminal session. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first computer system comprises a mobile device. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the emulator runs on an intermediate computer system; and 
 the intermediate computer system is in electronic communication with the first computer system and the second computer system. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3 , wherein the emulator comprises:
 a first component that appears as a web server to the web browser running on the first computer system; and 
 a second component that appears as a remote terminal session client to the remote terminal session server running on the second computer system. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4 , wherein:
 the remote terminal session client comprises a Telnet client; and 
 the remote terminal session server comprises a Telnet server. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second computer system comprises a mainframe computer system. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving third remote terminal session data from the second computer system via the dedicated remote terminal session; 
 converting the third remote terminal session data to third HTTP-enabled data; and 
 sending the third HTTP-enabled data to the first computer system for use with a front end business service. 
 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the data capturing device includes a barcode scanner, a credit card scanner, or a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag scanner; and 
 the first front end data or the second front end data includes an order quantity, a product type, or a product item. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the web browser includes a standard web browser that is an unmodified off-the-shelf program. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the converting the second HTTP-enabled data to the second remote terminal session data includes:
 examining received data; and 
 rendering one or more or a combination of a commands, a text, a text position command, a text color, and a text entry field. 
 
     
     
       11. A computing device configured for converting data between two data transfer protocol types, comprising:
 a processor; 
 a memory in electronic communication with the processor; and 
 instructions stored in the memory, the instructions being executable to:
 receive first HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP)-enabled data uploaded from a web browser of a first computer system, the first HTTP-enable data being representative of first front end data collected by a data capturing device of the first computer system; 
 open a dedicated remote terminal session with a remote terminal session server of a second computer system following receipt of the first HTTP-enabled data; 
 convert the first HTTP-enabled data to first remote terminal session data, the first remote terminal session data being formatted according to a Telnet protocol that is usable by a software application of the second computer system that is not Internet-dependent and not capable of using the first HTTP-enable data; and 
 send the first remote terminal session data to the second computer system via the dedicated remote terminal session; 
 further receive second HTTP-enabled data uploaded from the web browser, the second HTTP-enable data being representative of second front end data collected by the data capturing device; 
 reopen the dedicated remote terminal session following receipt of the second HTTP-enabled data; 
 convert the second HTTP-enabled data to second remote terminal session data, the second remote terminal session data being formatted according to the Telnet protocol; and 
 send the second remote terminal session data to the second computer system via the reopened remote terminal session. 
 
 
     
     
       12. The computing device of  claim 11 , wherein the first computer system comprises a mobile device. 
     
     
       13. The computing device of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the instructions are part of an emulator configured to run on the computing device; and 
 the computing device is in electronic communication with the first computer system and the second computer system. 
 
     
     
       14. The computing device of  claim 13 , wherein the emulator comprises:
 a first component that appears as a web server to the web browser running on the first computer system; and 
 a second component that appears as a remote terminal session client to the remote terminal session server running on the second computer system. 
 
     
     
       15. The computing device of  claim 14 , wherein:
 the remote terminal session client comprises a Telnet client; and 
 the remote terminal session server comprises a Telnet server. 
 
     
     
       16. The computing device of  claim 11 , wherein the second computer system comprises a mainframe computer system. 
     
     
       17. The computing device of  claim 11 , further comprising instructions that are executable to:
 receive third remote terminal session data from the second computer system via the dedicated remote terminal session; 
 convert the third remote terminal session data to third HTTP-enabled data; and 
 send the third HTTP-enabled data to the first computer system for use with a front end business service. 
 
     
     
       18. The computing device of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the data capturing device includes a barcode scanner, a credit card scanner, or a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag scanner; and 
 the first front end data or the second front end data includes an order quantity, a product type, or a product item. 
 
     
     
       19. The computing device of  claim 11 , wherein the web browser includes a standard web browser that is an unmodified off-the-shelf program.